“Work is no longer a bulwark,” warns the general secretary of Secours populaire

The association is publishing its annual barometer on poverty and insecurity this Thursday.

“Work is no longer a bulwark against poverty”warns on franceinfo Henriette Steinberg, the general secretary of Secours populaire, while the association publishes its annual barometer on poverty and precariousness on Thursday, September 12. According to the study, there are “a particularly significant progression this year, with no indicators down” in terms of poverty in France.

Poverty affects “especially rural areas” explains the general secretary of Secours populaire, “but not only that, there is urban sprawl across the entire national territory, in the cities, in the suburbs, there is no category that escapes it”.

The level set by the barometer to estimate poverty in France, based on the feelings of the people surveyed, is 1,396 euros, or two euros less than the minimum wage, currently set at 1,398 euros. “But it’s not that they feel poor, it’s that they are.”Henriette Steinberg is indignant. “When parents deprive themselves because they are afraid their children will not have enough to eat, it is a major issue”hammers the association leader. As a reminder, in France, nearly 17% of the population receives the minimum wage and the official poverty threshold, set by INSEE, is 1,158 euros per month.

She also points out that “the vast majority of the populations concerned work”which demonstrates that “Work is no longer a bulwark against poverty.” “What we see is the way in which the population in difficulty is increasing, and for some of them, this is added to a feeling of shame.”she explains, “because people think they are responsible for this situation, while they devote all their time and energy to making life less difficult, but they do not succeed, even when they work as a couple”. “For Secours Populaire, this aspect is unbearable”she adds.

The association calls “those in charge” has “get your hands dirty” and not to “deny or delete the topic”because “It’s a major subject” who, according to her, “is not treated today”.